Pivoting shelf

Abstract

A shelf assembly includes a shelf and a mounting structure for mounting the shelf on a substantially vertical surface. The shelf is pivotably mounted on the mounting bracket proximate the rear end and pivots from an open position to a closed position and from the closed position to the open position. An engagement structure on the shelf, which may optionally be positioned proximate the rear end of the shelf, is configured so that a force applied to the engagement structure when the shelf is in the closed position will urge the shelf toward the open position. The shelf assembly is particularly useful in hospital settings where hospital staff need to open and close the shelf without the use of their hands.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 865,035, filed Aug. 12, 2013, the contents of which are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth in detail herein.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to shelves, particularly to shelves mountable on a vertical surface.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]In a medical facility, such as a hospital, a long term care facility, a medical clinic, a veterinary clinic, the chance of spreading contagions from one patient to another is particularly high as personnel circulate from room to room on a regular basis. Every effort is made to reduce the chance that such contagions, especially highly virulent ones, are not transmitted from patient to patient. As part of this effort, hospitals, for example, are increasingly requiring staff to use bactericidal hand sanitizers before entering any room. To this end, wall-mounted hand sanitizers are being...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]The shelf pivots on a pivot mechanism. The pivot mechanism may comprise, for example, one or more pins, projections, protrusions and the like associated with the shelf and / or the mount. When associated with the shelf, the pivot mechanism may be on an exterior surface of the shelf and affixed thereto, and / or housed partially or wholly within a cavity or passageway in the shelf. The pivot mechanism may further comprise one or more cushioning or damping structures to cushion movement of the shelf at least from the closed position to the open position, thereby reducing potential impact stresses on the shelf assembly and impact noise when the shelf reaches the open position after pivoting. The damping structure may also cushion movement of the shelf from the open position to the closed position. The damping structure is preferably associated with the pivot mechanism. In one embodiment the cushioning structure comprises a damping hinge.

[0012]In an embodiment, the shelf pivots downwardly from the closed position to the open position and upwardly from the open position to the closed position. In this embodiment, the engagement structure is preferably on the bottom of the shelf as it is the bottom that extends outwardly from the substantially vertical surface when the shelf is in the closed position. Further, in this embodiment, there is preferably a stop that prevents the shelf from pivoting downwardly from the open position. The stop may be any suitable mechanism known in the art, for example, the rear end of the shelf may abut the substantially vertical surface and / or the mounting bracket when the shelf is in the open position, a protrusion may abut the substantially vertical surface and / or the mounting bracket when the shelf is in the open position, a cam may be present on a pivot mechanism to prevent rotation beyond a certain point, and / or a cable of appropriate length may be secured to the substantially vertical surface and the shelf. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the rear end of the shelf abuts the substantially vertical surface and / or the mounting bracket when the support surface is in the open position to prevent the support surface from pivoting downwardly from the open position. The rear end of the shelf may comprise an abutment structure for this purpose. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the mounting bracket comprises an abutment face on which the rear end of the shelf abuts. It is preferable not to use support cables, arms and the like in order to reduce the number of sharp edges and catch points on the shelf assembly.

[0014]The shelf is mountable on the substantially vertical surface, for example a wall, post, door and the like, by a mount. The mounting bracket may be secured to the vertical surface by any suitable method, for example, with screws, nails, bolts or adhesives (e.g. glue or tape) or magnetically. The mounting bracket may comprise a bearing surface for supporting the shelf. In one embodiment, the mounting bracket may comprise spaced-apart mounting ears for supporting the shelf. In one embodiment, the shelf may comprise one or more support projections. The support projections may be supported directly by the mount, for example by the mounting ears, or the support projections may be covered by caps adapted to receive the support protections on bearing surfaces in the caps. The caps may be mounted to the mount, for example secured to the mounting ears. The caps and / or support projections may serve to seal the cushioning structure against debris entering into the cushioning structure. To facilitate repair and servicing, the shelf may be removable from the shelf assembly without removing the mounting bracket from the vertical surface.

Problems solved by technology

However, it can be difficult for hospital staff to make use of such hand sanitizers because their hands are often occupied carrying medical charts and other hospital paraphernalia.

Such carts, however, are primarily for use in transporting drugs and other items between locations in the hospital (e.g. between a nursing station and a patient's room), and as such cannot be relied upon to be left near hand sanitizer stations.

Additionally, these carts are expensive and are not provided in sufficient numbers to be placed near each hand sanitizer station.

Yet another problem with such carts is that they intrude into the available space in a corridor of the facility.

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